


The Ritual

by brokenmimir



Series: Swan Queen Week Winter 2015 [5]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F, Swan Queen Week
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-29
Updated: 2015-01-29
Packaged: 2018-03-09 14:30:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,590
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3253214
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brokenmimir/pseuds/brokenmimir
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>SQWeek2015, Day 5: Soulmates<br/>Master Sorceress Regina hates using magic to find people's soulmates.  After the loss of Daniel she's resisted everything to do with love, and when she's ordered to find Snow White's daughter's soulmate she couldn't be angrier.  At least it will be over quickly and she can go back to her normal life...</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Ritual

“This is ridiculous,” Regina snarled.

“And yet, there it is, dearie,” Rumpelstiltskin said.

“You could send someone else,” Regina said, her tone just one step shy of begging.

“I could,” Rumpelstiltskin agreed casually. “But I won’t.”

“Why the hell not!” Regina exploded, as did the mirror on the wall behind her. Her magic had always been connected to mirrors, and while that was an asset when she wished to employ divination magics, it was a hindrance when she was angry. Broken glass was annoying even for a sorceress to deal with.

“Because I don’t want to,” Rumpelstiltskin said. “Now, off you go.”

With one last huff Regina turned and stormed out, ignoring the giggling coming from behind her. Sometimes (most of the time) Regina loathed Rumpelstiltskin with every fiber of her being. Despite that she still didn’t regret running away to study magic under him. No matter how infuriating she found him he was still less frustrating than her mother.

Servants and apprentices scurried out of the way as she stormed past. Regina was infamous for her literally fiery temper, and with the reputation of being the youngest mage in a century accorded master status everyone stepped carefully around her. Everyone except for her former teacher, now Grand Master of the Order of the Arcane, who still treated her like an apprentice.

“Regina!” a voice shouted.

Regina didn’t stop, although she slowed down slightly as she recognized the voice. There was one other person who could get away with familiarity. She still wondered sometimes how she’d befriended someone so different from her like Tink, but despite everything they had bonded as apprentices and were still friends even a decade later. “I’m not in the mood,” Regina growled as the perky blonde caught up to her.

“When are you ever in the mood for anything?” Tink asked, rolling her eyes. “Now come on, what’s wrong?”

Regina ground her teeth. “Rumpel is making me do a soul mate ritual.”

“I don’t see what you’ve got against them,” Tink said. “I know how much you miss Daniel-”

“I don’t want to talk about it,” Regina growled.

“Wait, please,” Tink said, running in front of her and walking backwards as fast as she could so that she could face her friend. “I know I’ve screwed up a lot trying to get you to move on, but I just want you to be happy. You smile so rarely, Regina.”

Regina looked away, unable to face the gentle care Tink was looking at her with. No one else besides her father had ever looked at her that way, and she still never knew how to handle it. Slowing down so that her friend didn’t trip from trying to all but run backwards Regina sighed and spoke. “I know I didn’t know how to use magic then, and I was very young, but I know he was my soul mate.”

“I know,” Tink said gently. “But Regina, a soul mate is a person who our very essence cries out to complete us. We don’t just get one. I’m sure that there is someone else out there that completes you as well if you were just willing to open your heart and accept being happy. Just think about it, okay?”

Tink gave Regina an encouraging smile when she reached her room, but Regina ignored it and slammed the door behind her. With a tired sigh she walked over to her mirror and took in her appearance. Her hair was a little wild, but that was nothing a wave of her hand couldn’t fix. Her tight fitting dark purple gown always drew eyes from both men and women, and the extra edge it gave her always boosted her confidence. After a brief pause to ensure that she looked perfect Regina closed her eyes and teleported away in a cloud of purple smoke.

She had purposefully teleported herself away from the ritual site so that she could prepare herself mentally for what lay ahead. The stone circle had been around for thousands of years, and had been used for works of deep magic that even Regina could scarcely comprehend. The petty use of such a place was one of the many, many reasons that she was frustrated by her task that day.

“Whoa,” a voice said behind her.

Regina spun around, surprised to be confronted by a woman wearing a hideous red leather jack, tight breeches, and with a sword on her hip. Despite her unusual attire she was quite beautiful, with long blonde hair, prominent cheekbones, and bright eyes.

“Who are you?” Regina demanded, drawing herself up to her full height.

“Emma,” the woman said.

“I am Regina the Amethyst,” she said. “Master Sorceress of the Order of the Arcane.”

“Nice to meet you,” Emma drawled. “So, did you start dressing in purple after you got your name or is that why they called you ‘the Amethyst’.”

Regina snorted. “I’ve always been fond of purple, although that isn’t why I’m called that. What are you doing here, anyway?”

Emma shrugged. “I got dragged here for the ritual.”

Regina looked her over. “I’m surprised. You don’t look like the usual guards the White Kingdom uses.”

Emma just smirked. “Nope. You must not be from around here, are you?”

Regina sniffed disdainfully. “I spend my time at the Arcane Towers. I try to avoid the White Kingdom if at all possible.”

Emma looked confused. “Why? We’re not a bad kingdom.”

Regina sneered disdainfully. “I met your queen when I was much younger. Let me assure you, it was an experience I would rather forget.”

“Hey,” Emma growled. “Don’t talk about her that way.”

“I can and will speak of her as I wish,” Regina said. “I have no interest in doing this awful ritual, and would gladly leave if she has a problem with me being here.”

“Whoa, snippy much?” Emma said. “What have you got against this, anyway. I mean, finding love... it doesn’t sound that bad. Better than being alone, I guess.”

“This ritual is a joke,” Regina spat. “Instead of falling in love, your royalty expects to use the greatest mysteries of magic to save yourselves the trouble of looking. Its conceited, and they act as though the only love that matters is their own, like meeting naturally makes it somehow worth less when you find a soul mate.”

With that Regina whirled and stalked off, fuming as much as ever. She didn’t even bother to restrain the purple glow from her eyes, or the occasional neon spark that shot from her hands. She could still hear Emma trailing along behind her as she reached the site of the ritual.

“Regina?” Queen Snow gasped. “I thought Blue was coming.”

“We don’t always get what we want,” Regina said. She eyed Snow disdainfully. Despite the years that had passed the woman had barely aged. The only real change from the naïve and arrogant woman was the idiotically short way she cut her hair. “Now, are we going to do this ritual, or would you rather spend your time gossiping about other people’s business?”

Snow’s expression was like a wounded puppy, which only made Regina angrier. She was the one who spread court gossip to Regina’s mother that had led to Daniel’s death, and she still acted as though she was the one being wronged by Regina’s contempt.

After a tense silence her insipid husband cleared his throat. “Right. Why don’t we get this ritual started. Emma?”

Emma stepped forward awkwardly, drawing a shocked look from Regina. “You?”

“This is my daughter, Princess Emma,” Snow said before Emma could do more than open her mouth. “Today we’re going to find her True Love so that she can inherit the crown.”

Regina was amused by Emma’s slight wince at the title. She took a deep breath and faced the blonde, speaking to her and completely ignoring the queen. “The ritual is simple. It will create a glowing line of red energy connecting your heart with that of your closest soul mate.”

“Closest?” Emma asked.

“Yes,” Regina said. “Despite what some like to believe, this ritual doesn’t provide you with some once in a generation perfect match. It simply shows one of the people in the world who can perfectly compliment you. The rest is up to you and the poor idiot it connects you to.”

Emma glared at that. “Let’s just get this over with.”

The spell was fairly simple, and in a matter of minutes Regina was speaking the final words of the incantation. Emma was surrounded by a bright golden aura, her body turning into a dark silhouette. A moment later her heart began to glow red, and slowly the aura dimmed until only her brightly glowing heart lit the ritual site. From it a thin red band of energy emerged, pulsing gently.

“There,” Regina said. “That line will grow until it reaches a soul mate. Ritual done, so I will just be on my way.”

Regina started to turn around, already gathering the energy to teleport when the red line, which a moment before had been simply wavering, suddenly grew faster and shot toward her, connecting to Regina’s heart. A warmth she hadn’t felt in the decade since Daniel’s death flowed through her, and she felt full to the point of bursting. Then, finally, the spell ended, leaving Regina and Emma staring at each other in shock.

“Oh, no,” Regina whispered.

“You’ve got to be kidding,” Emma said a moment later.

“Welcome to the family,” Snow beamed happily.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Swan Queen Week number 5, Soul Mate AU. I think ‘welcome to the family’ is probably a bit premature, Snow.


End file.
